Ice Cream
by Clue Impaired
Summary: A summer story to look forward to. Bobby/ Humor


**Ice Cream**

The temperatures soared into the nineties and there was a crowd in many stores because of the heat and humidity. People who couldn't use their own were going shopping in droves to avoid the heat. Bobby didn't. He just wanted some ice cream to eat in the privacy of his own home. Most of the flavors were pretty much picked over so he settled for Blue Moon and headed for the check out lane. For all the shoppers in the store, there were surprisingly few people checking out. He set the ice cream down on the conveyor belt and dug for his wallet.

The woman ahead of him had four kids with her all whining and hot. And they were fighting over who was going to ride in the basket. She was juggling one in her arms who was holding a bottle of formula and eyeing Bobby curiously.

Bobby smiled a the tyke and dug out enough money for the ice cream, praying that he'd get it home before it melted. The woman told the older kids to knock it off when she got to the cashier then found out she was short several dollars for her groceries. She started to pick through her things to figure out what to put back and Bobby could hear grumbling start from behind him.

Her kids got into another squabble and she yelled at them, which made the customers behind him even louder. Bobby handed the cashier the money he'd pulled out for the ice cream and told the woman. "Let me help."

"I really can't accept…." She started.

"It's okay. I'm a cop." He smiled at her and flashed his badge.

"O-Okay, thank you."

"Are you really a cop? Can I see your gun?" the womans boy asked with wide eyes.

"It's put away and, yes, I am a cop." Bobby answered.

The cashier gave Bobby the change from the money and helped the woman bag her groceries. Bobby pulled out some more money for his ice cream and hoped he'd be on his way home soon.

No such luck. The woman with the kids was parked next to his car and she was trying to load the stuff in the back of an already stuffed car. The lid to the car kept falling and she had to set the baby down to keep that up. As Bobby neared the car the little one took off across the lot. In two steps, Bobby swiped the urchin up in one arm and returned him to his mother. The toddler was laughing.

"Thank you." She said gratefully.

"No problem." Bobby said with a smile and held the lid of the car up for her until she was done then let it drop.

She went around to the drivers door to get in and he went to his door. He unlocked the door, reached for the handle when a shriek sounded from the car behind him. "My candy!" A childish voice yelled and "crack" the car door was flung open, knocking Bobby flat against his car right into the carton of half melted ice cream.

It was cool, but it felt like oozing butter down the front of his shirt. "Oh, Mister Cop, I'm sorry." The boy said with wide eyes when Bobby turned around and he saw the mess.

"Eldon, how could you." The mother got out and hurried around the car. "Oh, officer, I am so sorry. Are you-Are you hurt?"

"No, I'm okay." Bobby said patiently. "I always take my ice cream like this."

"Oh, dear, and it's such a nice shirt and tie too. Can I-Can I pay you to have it cleaned or replaced or….?"

"No. It was an old shirt anyway." He said even though it was a lie and an expensive shirt. "Thank you so much for the offer. Think nothing of it."

"Are you sure? I can….." the mother said again, chagrinned at the mess.

"No, please, think nothing of it. I just need to go home and change. Excuse me."

Bobby got as much of it off as he could before he climbed into his car. At least the air conditioning was working. He could feel some of the mess melting down his shirt front and dripping onto the seat. He glanced down at a particularly large glob on his tie and swiped it up with his finger and put it in his mouth. It was sweet at least. That was all he got.

He got home and went inside. It was boiling inside too. He walked over to the fridge and opened the door sinking down inside the door and leaning against the cool shelves. At least it was cool there.

When Alex let herself in to see how he was doing half an hour later she was astonished to find he'd fallen asleep like that with Blue Moon ice cream all over his shirt and in a puddle on the floor in front of him. Her laughing woke him up and he blinked sleepily at her. "What's so funny?" he asked.

"What happened to you?" she asked between giggles.

He looked down then grinned up at her. "I went out for some ice cream." He explained.

Complete


End file.
